The History of the World According to Loki
by melusine
Summary: Loki tells Rufus the tale of Odin's rise to power. VP2 spoilers.


**The History of the World According to Loki**  
by melusine

"Odin wasn't always the All-Father," Loki said to Rufus as he accompanied him on a walk through the vast halls of Valhalla, Frei at his side. "Which is probably why you haven't been hung by your neck from Yggdrasil's boughs. It's happened before to interlopers. If you're ever in Jotunheim, ask Surt to show you his neck."

Rufus froze. Frei slapped Loki across the face. "Apologize, Loki," she snapped. Loki nodded.

"My apologies your Lordship, my All-Father, our King." The trickster bowed deeply, his hands held in an elaborate flourish. "But it's the truth, just as it's true that Frei and her stern sister are Vanir. Should I tell Lord Rufus about Lady Mimir, Frei?"

"No, not yet," Frei said. "Let him meet her first."

"Right," Loki agreed.

"Wait a minute, I'm still right here. I can answer for myself. What's this about Odin not always being All-father?" Rufus asked.

"Ymir was All-Father before Odin; Ymir and his cow-eyed wife Audhumla once ruled all of this. No one knows where they came from. They just appeared one day, along with Ratatosk and Nidhogg. They came into being with the worlds and Ymir and Audhumla came unto each other and they --" Loki smiled sweetly at Frei. "They bore the fathers and mothers of the Aesir and Vanir. They bore giants and elves, humans and dwarves. The undead came later, when the dead ventured too close to Yggdrasil's taproot and Nidhogg's poisoned bite. There were whole worlds before Odin's elf-mother even conceived him."

"So Ragnarok has already happened once," Rufus said.

"Of course not. They didn't call it Ragnarok, they called it a rebellion," Loki said. "If you don't interrupt, I can tell you the whole story."

"Go on, then."

"Odin used to be like you were: young and weak and angry. He resented Ymir's rule -- it was far too peaceful, see, Ymir liked peace -- but he was smart enough to know that there was no way he could overthrow him on his own. So he hung by his feet from as high upon Yggdrasil as he dared; he hung there for nine days and nine nights without food or drink until he was sure he would have died if not for his elven blood. On the tenth day, he struck a dagger into Yggdrasil's bark and drank the sap of the tree. It gave him power and wisdom; some would say that he was granted too much of the former and too little of the latter. But Frei often reminds me that it is rude to speak too ill of my blood-brother, especially now that he is dead and unable to defend himself. Frei also hates what's coming next, so I'll give her a chance to cover her ears."

Rufus looked over at Frei, who stuck her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes. She began to hum, quietly and tunelessly. Rufus looked at Loki, who smiled. He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Odin realized that the worlds would be destroyed if Ymir were killed; the old fool -- Ymir, not Odin -- was keeping the worlds together. So he petitioned the dwarves to fashion him four weapons: a sword, a bow, a spear, and an orb. In thanks, he slew them. He gave the bow and sword to his half-brothers, and kept the spear and orb for himself. The weapons were not the Four Treasures yet, but they were powerful enough to kill the All-Father Ymir.

"Odin and his elven brothers stormed Yggdrasil's highest boughs. Ymir welcomed them at his door, fat Audhumla at his side. He was unarmed, Ymir was, and I doubt he had any need for weapons. So Odin ran him through with his spear and Vili struck him with his sword and Ve aimed true with his arrows. Ymir died at his own doorstep, and Audhumla fell at his feet and begged them to kill her, too. So they did. It really is a horrible, shameful story, but I wish you could have heard Odin tell it. He told it so well. But, back to the story. Odin had a plan for the future, and he wanted to rule. So he dipped the weapons in Ymir's blood and made them into the Four Treasures."

"What about Vili and Ve?" Rufus asked, mouth dry. "What happened to them?"

"They fled. Vili escaped to Niflheim, never to be seen again. Perhaps Nidhogg ate him. Ve ran to Alfheim. He stopped eating, stopped sleeping, and died, they say, of heartsickness." Loki laughed uproariously, as if he had just told the greatest joke the worlds had ever seen. "But I lie -- anyone can tell you how I lie! -- and Ymir could have just as well been a tyrant. He could have met Odin at the gates armed and armored; Audhumla could have tried to poison Odin and his half-brothers. Odin was nothing but a hero, for all you know: after all, Freya loves him still and I loved him as a brother. I could be lying now or then or in bits and pieces. Or I could be telling the truth and, truthfully, I like you because we look so much alike. So, pale brother, it's all up to you on what you believe."

"I believe you're full of crap," the young All-Father said and Loki laughed again. "And I'm not your brother, in blood or otherwise."

"See, that's also why I like you: you tell the truth!" Loki bowed again, then tapped Frei on the shoulder. The vana cautiously took one finger from her ear. "The ugliest part of my ugly story is over now, sweeting." Frei nodded, then removed her other finger and opened her eyes.

"Good, don't tell it again," she said. "Next time, tell him about how the wall around Valhalla was built."

"I don't like that story nearly as much as Frei, but yes, I'll tell it someday. Along with the story of how Thor nearly became a giant's bride. But those are tales best told over a horn of mead."

"Loki will sing when he's a little drunk." Frei giggled. "He sings horribly. You'll like them, I promise. He's funny."

"I'll pass," Rufus said. "I've got to meet with the others."

"Come back to me after you meet Mimir; she'll tell you the truth, but she won't tell you a story," Loki said. He winked. "I'm full of... stories."

"I'm sure you are, but I'll still pass."

The end.


End file.
